2.7

NON-HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS

Certain individuals residing with
a household are not considered household members when determining the
householdís eligibility and allotment amount. These non-household members, as
discussed in this section, may participate as separate households, if otherwise
eligible.

(a)Roomers:†

A roomer
is an individual to whom a household furnishes lodging, but not meals, for
compensation.

(b)Live-In Attendants

A live-in attendant is an
individual who resides with a household to provide medical, housekeeping,
child care, or other similar personal services.

Example: †A
live-in attendant stays with an elderly couple Monday through Friday to
prepare meals. She returns to her own home on weekends but eats with the
couple while in their home during the week.

The live-in attendant may
participate in the Food Stamp Program as a separate household, if otherwise
eligible.

(c)Ineligible Students

An ineligible student is an
individual who is enrolled in an institution of higher education, but is
ineligible because he/she fails to meet the student eligibility criteria.

1.Definition
of a Student

(i)A student is any person who meets all of the
following criteria:

(I)is at least age 18, but under age 50;

(II)is physically and mentally fit; and

(III)is enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher
education.

Note:† An institution of
higher education is defined as any school, college, or institute which
requires a high school diploma or G.E.D. for admission or enrollment in the
individualís particular curriculum.

(ii)Do not consider any of the following
individuals as students:

(I)individuals age 17 or under, or individuals
age 50 or over;

(II)physically or mentally disabled individuals;

(III)persons attending high school;

(IV)persons participating in on-the-job training
programs;

(V)persons not attending school at least
half-time; or

(VI)persons enrolled full
time in schools or training programs which are not institutions of higher
education.

2.Student
Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to participate
in the Food Stamp Program, a student must meet at least one of the following
criteria:

(i)actually be working an
average of 20 hours each week or an average of 80 hours per month.

if self employed, actually be
working an average of 20 hours per week or an average of 80 hours per month
or receiving monthly earnings of at least equal to the Federal minimum wage
multiplied by 80 hours;†††††

(ii)be participating in a State or Federally
financed work-study program funded in full or part by Title IV, Part C, of
the Higher Education Act 1965 (as amended) during the school year;

(iii)be
responsible for the care of a child who is a dependent household member under
the age of six;

Note:† The student does not
have to personally care for the child all the time. The child may be in day
care while the student is in class.

Note:† Apply this exemption
to the same individual for work registration exemption purposes.

(iv)be
responsible for the care of a child who is a dependent household member over
the age of five but under the age of 12, for whom adequate child care is
unavailable to enable the student to attend class, satisfy the 20-hour work
requirement of the Food Stamp Act or participate in a State or Federally
financed work study program during regular school year. Consider adequate
child care to exist only when another responsible person lives in the home who is available and able to care for the child. When the
student must obtain day care outside the home, do not consider adequate child
care to exist.

Example: †When a student and her child are the only
members of the household, adequate child care is not available.

†††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††

Example:†
Edna Price, a student, and her 8-year old son, Max, live in the home
of Ednaís parents. Neither of Ednaís parents is disabled.

Ednaís mother takes care of Max before and after school, while Edna
is in class. In this situation, adequate child care is available.

(v)be receiving Cash Assistance in his/her own
behalf;

(vi)†be assigned to or placed in an institution
of higher education through a program under the Workforce Investment Act;

(vii)†The maximum age level of students attending
institutions of higher †education who
are prohibited from receiving food stamp assistance is 50;

(viii)Students enrolled in institutions of higher
education as a result of participation in an Employment and Training Program
through Cash Assistance or Food Stamps;

(ix)Full-time students who are single parents
responsible for the care of children under 12 regardless of the availability
of adequate child care; or

(x)A program under section 236 of the Trade Act
of 1974.

3.Enrollment
Status

A studentís enrollment status
begins on the first day of the school term. It continues through normal
periods of class attendance, including vacations and recess when the student
intends to return to school after such vacations and recesses.

The enrollment status ends when
the student either:

(i)graduates;

(ii)is suspended;

(iii)is
expelled;

(iv)drops
out; or

(v)does not intend to
register for the next normal school term, not counting summer school.

4.Eligibility
During Non-Enrollment Periods

Students meeting the student
eligibility criteria during the regular school year will remain eligible
during the summer months. Students who lose their enrollment status or who do
not intend to register for the next normal school session (not including
summer school) will lose their student status and be treated as any
person/household.

5.Work
Registration

Eligible students are exempt
from the work registration/job search requirements.

6.Certification
Procedures for Remaining Household Members

Certify the remaining members
of a household containing an ineligible student, if otherwise eligible.

(d)Others

Other individuals who live with
the household but do not customarily purchase food and prepare meals with the
household are considered non-household members.

Example:† A
three-person household applies for Food Stamps. They live with an un-related
two-person household in the same house in order to save on rent. The two
families do not purchase and prepare meals together.